Envelop-machine.



F. L. MoNEIIlL.

BNVELOPI MAOHINE. APPLICATION FILED D30. 8, 1909.

Patent ed Mar.24,1911

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. L. MQNBILL. ENVBLOP MACHINE.

- APPLICATION FILED 17110.8, 1909.- 1,091,229.

Patented Mar. 24,1914,

4 SEBETB-BHEBT Z.

F. L. MdNEILL. ENVELGP MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 8, 1909. I

Patented Mar. 24, 1914;

V mgmcna.

P. LMONEILL, ENVELOP MACHINE. APPDIOATION FILED n20. 8,-1909. PatentedMar. 24, 191% 1,091,229. I V W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK IJ- MCNEILL, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO NEW ENGLANDEN ELOPE company, a. coaroaarrron or MASSACHUSET ENVELoP-MACHINE.

To all whom it may) concern:

Be it knownthat I, FRANK L. MoNEILL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inEnvelop-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to envelop machines, and more particularly tomechanism, preferably combined with an envelop machine, for

making the type-of envelop Which is known to the trade as Outlookenvelops, which have an opaque body with an openin therethrough, and atransparenbpiece of -paper on theinside of the envelop covering saidopening, for the purpose of disclosingthe address upon the inclosure inthe envelop.

The objectof my invention is to improve upon the mechanism formanufacturing envelops of the type referred to, which mechanism hasheretofore been combined with machines of diiferentkinds for makingenvelops. a

It has been customary in all machines, or

mechanisms for making envelops of the type referred to, which haveheretofore been used, to apply gum or adhesive material to the envelop bnk around the opening therein, preparatory to the attachment of thetransparent patch or sheet of paper thereto.

patch, which is preferably cut from a continuous strip, is carried overthe opening .in the envelop blank, and preferably car ried down andpressed on the envelop blank, to secure it thereto, preferablysubstantially simultaneously with the gumming of the flaps of theenvelop blank, and the raising of the envelop blank, to be carried tothe creasing and folding box.

My invention consists in certain novel features of construction ofmyimprovements as will be hereinafter fully described.

I have shown in the drawings my improvements, which form a supplementalmechanism or attachment for an envelop I Specification of LettersPatent. Application filed December 8, 1909. Serial No.

Patented Mar. 24, 1914. 532,026.

machine, to make the type of envelop referred to, combined with anenvelop. machine of well known construction and operation, which outsideof my improvements .forms no part of my invention, but it will beunderstood that my improvements may be combined with any ordinary typeof machine for manufacturing envelops, or. may if desiredbe usedseparate from the envelop machine. r I

I have shown in the drawings a continuous strip of transparent paper,mounted on a roll, frpm which strip the individual patches or pieces ofpaper to be combined with the opening in the envelop, are cut, but ifpreferred, instead of a continuous strip, separate patches or pieces maybe use I have shown in the drawings parts of an envelop machine of wellknown construction, with my improvements combined tussuED therewith,sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to understand theconstruction andoperation thereof.

' Referring to the drawings :,Figure l is a front view of a detachedportion of'an' envelop machine 'with my improvements combined therewith.Fig. 2 is a section, on line 2, 2, Fig. 1, looking in the direction ofarrow at, same figure. Fig. 3 is an end view of some of the partsshown-in Fig. 1, looking in the direction of arrow 6, same figiire. Fig.4 is aside view.of the patch gumming and cutting mechanism, detached,looking in the direction of arrow 0, Fig. Fig. 5 is a plan view of anenvelop blank having a patch of transparent paper applied thereto. Fig.6 shows the patch of transparent paper with the gum or adhesive materialthereon, before the patch is appliedto the envelop blank. Fig. 7 shows,on an enlarged scale, a front View of the cutting and gumming mechanism,looking in the direction of arrow 0?, Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a section,

on line 8, 8, Fig. 7, looking in the direction of arrow 6, same figure.Fig. 9 is a plan view of the gum receptacle, detached, look ing in thedirection of arrow f, Fig. .8. Fig. 10 corresponds to Fig. 8, but showssome of the parts shown in Fig. 8, in a different position, and when thetransparentstrip is being gummed and cut, and also shows the stripcarried combined therewith. Fig. 11

corresponds to Fig. 10, but shows some of I the parts in their opposite.positions, and th strip carrier ready to seize the transparent strip,after it has been gummed and cut; some of the parts shown in Fig. 10 arenot shown in this figure, and, Fig. 12 is, on an enlarged scale, asection, on line12, 12, Fig. 10, looking in the direction of arrow g,same figure.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 is a portion of the lower frame orstand, 2 is the table. and 3 is the upper frame-work of an envelopmachine; 1 is an envelop blank supporting or feeding table, providedwith a rack 5, which meshes with and is driven by a pinion 6, to moveupwardly the blank feeding table at predetermined times, in the usualway.

7 is a pile of envelop blanks supported upon the feeding table 4. Eachof the envelop blanks 7 is of the desired shape, and in this instance ofthe shape shown in Fig. 5. having the two end flaps T, 7. the back flap7 for the gum 7 and the seal flap 7 for the gum 7 There is an elongatedopening 7 through the envelop, as indicated by broken lines, over whichthe patch or piece oftransparent paper 7 extends, upon the inside of theenvelop, and is secured by gum or adhesive material applied tosaid'patch or piece of transparent paper prior to its being placed oversaid opening. The end flaps, back flap, and seal flap are creased andfolded over to complete the envelop, in the usual and well known way.

Above the pile of envelop blanks are the gumming dies 8, and 9. see 2,for the seal flap, and the back flaps. The gumming die 8 is supportedupon a vertically reciprocating guide rod'lO, and the gumming dies 9 aresupported on a vertically reciprocat ing guide rod 11, see Figs. 1, and2, in the usual and well known way.

A vertical reciprocating movement is communicated to the gumming dies 8,and 9 by horizontally extending levers 12, and 13, which are pivotallymounted on a rod 14, and are operated through connector rods, (only one12' is shown in Fig. 1-) to cams,

' not shown, on the machine. in the usual way.

The gum or adhesive material is applied to the gumming dies 8 and 9 whenin their raised position, by means of gum rolls, not shown, which areadapted to receive a coating of gum at one end of their travel from thegumming rolls 15 and 16, see Fig. & rotating in contact with gum rolls17 and 18. which rolls 15 and 16 are partially immersed in gum oradhesive material contained in the gum receptacles 19 and 20, in theusual way.

Through the engagement of the gum dies 8 and 9 with the uppermost blank7 on the pile of blanks, said uppermost blank is raised from the pileand is seized by a grip-,

per, not shown, and conveyed to the creasing and folding box, not shown,1n the usual and well known way.

All of the above mentioned parts may be of any usual and well knownconstruction, and do not form a part of my invention, but myimprovements as herein shown are in this instance combined with saidparts.

I will now describe my improvements. The transparent paper "from whichthe patch or transparent piece 7 is formed, consists in this instance ofa continuous strip 21, which is held on a spool 22, which is mounted torotate on an arm or bracket 23, see. Fig. 1, which is pivotallysupported on the stud l t, and-may be adjusted and held in position by aset screw 23. The strip 21 of transparent paper is in this instancecarried between food rolls 24.- and 25; the upper feed roll 24: in thisinstance receives rotary motion from a shaft, not shown, operated fromsome driven part of the machine, to cause the paper to be unwound fromthe spool 22. After the strip 21 leaves the roll 25 it passes into andthrough a horizontally extending guide plate. which consists in thisinstance of a stand 26, see 7, and 8, having its side edges providedwith guide strips 26, which are bent inwardly at their lower ends.

to guide and support the edges of the paper strip 21, see Fig. 7.

A. plate 27, extending in the direction of the length of the strip 21,see Figs. 8. and 9, is adapted to hold said strip through its ccntor andprevent it from sagging. The plate or carrier 27 has a downwardlyextending portion 27, which in this instance extends within the gumreceptacle 28 and is rigidly secured thereto. The gum receptacle 28 issupported on the table 2 and contains gum or adhesive material 29, to beapplied to the strip 21 of transparent paper. Extending within the gumreceptacle 28, and adapted to be lowered into and raised out of the gumor adhesive material 29, in a vertical plane,

'by a non-pivotal motion is in this instance an elongated or oblongshaped die 110, which acts to carry on its upper edge the gum oradhesive material 29, and apply it in a narrow line or margin to thelower side of the transparent strip 21 near the edges thereof, asindicatedin Fig. (l by dotted lines. The shape of the die correspondspreferably to the shape of the opening in the envelop blank, and thedimension of said die, on its gumming edge. is a little larger than thedimension of said opening. The gumming die 30 is in this instancepivotally supported on each side, intermediate its ends, by pins 30, onthe inwardly curved and downwardly e. tending ends 31 on arms 31, whichare secured upon a plate or frame 32. see Figs. 8 and 9. The lower endsof the downwardly extending ends 31 of the arms 31, are in this instancemade broader, as shown in Figs. 8, and 9, anddiave an inwardly extrudingpin 31 on each end thereof, which form stops to limit the tilting motionof the die 30.

receive the gum receptacle 28, and is secured in this instance on theupper ends of two vertically extending rods 33, see Fig. 3; said rods 33are suitably guided in bearings 34 on the table. or frame 2'of themachine. A

' connector rod 35 is in this instance attached to the lower ends of therods 33, and is operated through a cam, not shown, to communicate, atpredetermined intervals, an up' and down movement to the connector 35,rods 33, frame 32, arms 31, and die 30.

When the frame 32 is raised to its highest 1 position, shown in Fig. 10,from its lowest *position, shown in Fig. 11, the gum or ad- .,nesivematerial on its upper edge is applied in a narrow line or margin to theunderside of the transparent strip of paper 21, which i held in theguide stand 26. The conformation of said narrow line or margin ofadhesive material, corresponds to the shape or conformation of theopening in the en velop blank. After the gum is applied to thetransparent strip of paper 21, said strip is carried forward, in thisinstance by a carrier 36, which has a reciprocating motion on ahorizontally extending square rod 37, see Fig. 12, said carrier 36having in this instance two side extensions 36, see Fig. 1, throughwhich said rod 37 extends. A rod 38 has one end pivotally connected to astud 36 on the carrier 36, see Fig. l, and its other end pivotallyconnected to the upper end of an arm or lever 39, having its hub 39'pivotally mounted on a stud 4C0, carried on a hanger or bracket 41.Extending out from the hub 39 is a second arm 39", which ha an elongatedslot 39 therein, in which is adjustably attached, by a bolt 42, theupper end of'a connector 42, which is con nected with and operated by acam, not

shown, on some driven part of the machine.

The strip carrier 36,'see F igs.'10, llfand 12 consistsin this instance.of a bar 36, which loosely slides in the frame-36, and is looselysecured thereon through the center block 36*. The bar 36" hasadownwardly,

extending projection 36 on each end thereof, which projections areadapted to engage and travel upon cam shaped extensions 36 on springblades 36 which in this instance are suitably secured tothe center block36 see Figs. 10 and 11. The lower sides of the spring blades 36 havesecured thereon proto allow its upper j ections 36, adapted to engageand grip the strip 21, which enters through the open'end of the carrier36. When the strip carrier 36 travels toward the gumming mechanism,preparatory to occupying the position shown in Fig. 11, the end of thebar 36 will engage astop 43, to move the bar 36', from the positionshown in Fig. 10 to the position shown in Fig. 1]., and causes theprojections 36 on said bar, .to travel upon the projections 36-on thesprings 36, to depress said springs, and cause the projection 36 at theright'in Fig, 11, to grip thep'atch or piece of transparent materialalready cut from, the continuous strip -by the cutting mechanism,

ous strip 21. The movement of the carrier 36 to the right, through therod 38, to the position shown in Fig. 10, will cause the patch or piecealready cut to be carried over 180 and the projection 36 at the left,Fig. 11, to grip the end'of the continuthe-pile of blanks 7, preparatoryto being attached to theupper blank, and the continuous strip 21 to bedrawnalong, preparatory to being cut off by the cutting mechanism. ()nthe movement of the carrier. 36 to the right, the engagement of theprojecting end of the bar 36' with the stop 44:, see Fig. 10, will movesaid bar 36 to the left, and disconnect the projections 36 thereon fromthe projections 36 on the springs 36 and allow said springs to return totheir normal position and release the cut off patch, and the continuousstrip.

The cutting mechanism is operated to cut off another patch from thestrip, and the carrier is returned to its position to the-left, I

as shown in Fig. 11, and this operation is repeated. The patch, ortransparent piece plunger 45 is in this instance attached to thevertical reciprocating rod 10, and is raised and lowered with thegumming dies 8 and 9.,

and the severed patch or piece of trans parent paper is carried by thecarrier 36 under the patch plunger 45, and the downward movement of saidplunger carries the patch with it, havingthe gum or adhesive materialthereon, and presses it onto the envelop blank 7 over the openingtherein, substantially simultaneously with the gumming of the seal flapand back flap.

A plate 46 extends in the plane ofv-the table 2 of the machine, and isprovided with a"longitudinally extending bar 46",, preferablynndercut asshown in Fig. 12, which bar extends parallel .with the carriersupporting rod 37, and acts to guide the edge of the out oif patch andalso the strip 21. When the continuousstrip 21 has'been drawn forward bythe strip carrier, 36, as shown in Fig. 10, it is engaged by abar 47,which acts to retain or hold thestrip 21 in' position. The bar 47 isinthisinstancesupported on the'end of a spring blade 48. which isrigidly attached at its other end nism for the strip of transparentpaper.

to the frame of the machine, or some other stationary part. A flexibleconnection 49 is attached at one end to the spring blade 48, and at itsother end in this instance to the operating lever 18, which" as itoperates, acts to positively raise the holding bar 47, to release thestrip, and to lower the holding bar 47, and allow its spring blade 48 toact to press the bar against the strip 21 during the operation of thecutting mechanism, which will be hereinafter described.

I will now describe the cutting mecha- A rock shaft 50, see,Fig. 4, ismounted in bearings 3' on the frame 3, and receives a rocking motion atpredetermined times, from some driven part, not shown, on the machine,through a connector 51, pivotally attached at its upper end to a lever52 fast on the shaft 50. On the rock shaft 50 are secured the hubs 53 oftwo levers 53, which extend inwardly from said shaft. The end of eachlever 53 is connected, through a link 54, with a stud or pin 55 on thevertically moving knife bar 56', which is adapted to slide up and downon the stand 57, which is secured at its upper part by a bolt 58 to theframe 3, and extends downwardly therefrom. The knife bar 56, see Fig. 8,has fastened thereon, in this instance by screws 59,

a cutter knife or blade 60, which in this instance extends within a slotin a guide block 61. The guide block 61 has extending out therefrom twoears 61", having openings therethrough, in which are secured the lowerends of small rods or pins 62, the upper ends of said rods or pinsextend loosely through openings in the side extensions 56 on the knifebar 56, and have enlarged ends 62 thereon. A helically coiled expansionspring 63 encircles each rod 62, and bears at one end against the lug 61on the guide and presscr block 61, and at its other end against the lug56 on the knife bar 56, to yieldingly hold the guide and presser block61, away from the knife bar 56. The second member of the cuttingmechanism consists in this instance of the lower presser block 64, whichis suitably guided in a vertical plane in a guide stand 65, secured inthis instance upon'the front side of the gum receptacle 28. The block 64has outwardly extending projections 64 thereon, which are adapted torest upon two cams 66 and 66, secured on a transverse shaft 6'7. AllellCElllj-f coiled contrac tion spring 68, attached at one end to apin 69 on the lower block 64, and at its other end to the stand 65, seeFig. 8, acts to yieldingly hold down the block 64. The cam 66, see Figs.4, 7, and'9, has an arm 66" extending downwardly therefrom andpreferably of curved shape, as shown in Fig. 4, said'arm 66" is adaptedto be engaged by a roll 70, see Fig. 4, which roll is carried on an arm71 attached to the frame 32. A helically coiled contraction spring 72,secured at one end to the arm 66", and at its other end to a stud 73 onthe bed 2, acts to yieldingly hold the arm 66" in engagement with theroll 70.

On the upward movement of the frame 32 and the gum die 30, to apply gumto the transparent paper strip 21, the roll 70 will travel upwardly onthe downwardly extending arm 66", and will rock the shaft 67 and thecams 66 and 66' fast thereon, and cause the block 64 to be raised untilit engages the lower surface of the paper strip 21. At the same time theupper knife bar 56, through its actuating mechanism, is moveddownwardly, carrying the knife blade secured thereto, and at the sametime the actuating springs 63 cause the downward movement of the guideand presser block 61, until the lower edge of said block engages theupper side of the strip of paper 21, and with the other block 64, actsto hold the strip of paper. The continued movement of the knife bar 56with the knife blade 60, causes the paper strip 21 to be severed by'said knife blade, which in this instance enters a vertical opening orrecess in the lower presser block 64, see Fig. 10. The cutting blade orknife 60 has its lower cutting edge preferably of the shape shown inFig. 7, which is of wedge shape, having a point at its central portion,with its cutting edge inclined from said point to each edge.

In the continued operation of the cuttin mechanism, when the cuttingblade and other parts are returning to their inoperati've position, asshown in Fig. 11, the strip carrier 36 is operated to grip the end ofthe continuous strip 21, and also the severed 05 piece, 7, to carry themforward toward the envelop blank, as hercinbefore described.

The operation of my improvements in connection with the drawings will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art, and briefly is asfollows :A roll of transparent paper ofa width suflicient to cover theopening in the envelop blank and to extend by the edges of said opening,is placed upon the spool roll 22, and the end of the strip drawn Ierated to draw the gummcd part of the strip under the (cutting mechanismfor a predetermined length of the strip, according to the length of theopening in the envelop blank. In the continued operation of the machine,the gumming die,-which has been lowered into the gum receptacle, isagain raised to apply gum to the underside of the strip, and the cuttingmechanism is operated tb sever or c'utthe strip, and the carriage movesalong the severed piece to carry itv over the envelop blank, and at thesame time drawsforward the projecting end of the strip which has beengummed, preparatory to said gummed part being severed by thecutting-mechanism and carried forward lover the envelop blank. Afterthe'piece of -i n per i the envelop .kcarries 5; parent paper down ontothe envelop blank,

aper or patch is carried over *Pglank, the p1i1nger'45 descends thepatch or piece of transand presses it thereon to attach itto said blank,and this operation .is repeated.

blanks to cover the opening therein are in the form of a continuousstrip,

, the edge thereof,

, therethrough and a ready which strip is first gummed by the gummingmechanism, and is then drawn under the cutting mechanism to be cut, andthen of having a continuous strip'of transparent paper from which thepatches or pieces of paper are cut in the operation of the machine, Imay provide pieces or patches alcut in the desired length, which are fedby any well known mechanism to the gumming mechanism and are thencarried to the envelop blank to which they are to be attached.

It will be understood that the details of construction of myimprovements may be varied if desired.

ters Patent is 1. An organized automatic machine for manufacturingenvelops having an open- .ing therethrough and atransparent cover- 45-ing for-said opening inside of the envelop, comprising means forapplying adhesive material to a transparent patch, adjoining means forcarrying said patch, having adhesive material thereon, to an envelopblank having an opening therethrough, and means for pressing said patchon to said envelop blank to cover said opening, said last mentionedmeans. operating substantially simultaneously with the gumming of the,fiaps of the envelbp, and the raising of the envelop blank to becarried to the creasing and folding box, to be creased and folded. v n

. 2. An organized automatic machine for manufacturing envelops having anopening transparent covering for said opening inside of :thixenvelop,comprising means for applyingf-adhesivemw terial to a strip oftransparent paper, the

conformation of said adhesive material corwhich the the cut piece iscarried over the envelop blank. Instead creasing and tolding box, to becreased and folded. I

3. In mechanism forattaching patches to envelop blanks having openingstherein,

gumming mechanism for applying gum in a narrow ne or margin to the stripfrom patches are out, comprising a gum receptacle, a gumming die adaptedto be movedinto said receptacle .to receive the gum on its engagingedge,and to be raised out of said receptacle to apply the gum in a narrowline or margin to said strip,said gumming die being pivotally mounted tohave a rocking or pivotal movement, in addition to, and independent ofits raising and lowering movement.

. 4. In mechanis'm for attaching patches to envelop blanks havingopenings therein, gumming mechanism for applying gum in a narrow line ormar 'n to the strip :from which the patches are out, comprising a gumreceptacle, a gumming die adapted to be moved into said receptacle, toreceive the gum on its engaging edge, and to be raised out of in anarsaid receptacle to apply the said strip, said row line or marginontogumming die being pivotally mounted to. have a, rockin or pivotalmovement, and stops for limiting the pivotal movement of said die.

5. In mechanism for envelop 'blanks having openings therein, mechanismfor applying adhesive material in a narrow line or margin to a patch,mechanismfor' gripping and moving said patch from the gumming mechanism,and for simultaneously carrying a second patch with the adhesivematerial thereon to an envelop blank, having an opening therein, andmechanism for applying to an envelop blank said patch, to cover saidopening.

6. In mechanism for attaching patches to envelop blanks having,openings} therein, mechanism for applying adhesive material to a patch,mechanism for gripping and moving a patch from the gumlning mechanism,and for simultaneously carrying a second patch to the envelop blanks,and

mechanism for-holding a-patchin its inter PPih anism is returning'tothegumm'ing mechamediateposition, while the nism.

attaching patches to I 7 In mechanism for attaching patches to envelopblanks having openings therein,

mechanism for applying adhesive material to a strip of transparentpaper, mechanism for severing said strip, mechanism for gripping andmoving the strip of paper from the gumming mechanism, preparatory to itsbeing severed, and also carrying a severed and gummed patch to theenvelop blanks.

8. In mechanism for attaching patches to envelop blanks having Openingstherein,

mechanism for applying adhesive material to a strip of transparentpaper, mechanism for severing said strip, mechanism for grip 9. Inmechanism for attaching patches to envelop blanks having openingstherein, mechanism for gumming a patch, mechanism for gripping thegummed patch, mechanism for carrying the gummed patch from th gnmmingmechanism, and mechanism for simultaneously carrying a second gummedpatch to, an envelop blank having an opening therein.

10. In mechanism for attaching patches to envelop blanks having openingstherein, mechanism for gumming a strip of transparent paper, mechanismfor gripping said strip, mechanism for drawing it from the gummingmechanism, mechanism for cutting said strip, and mechanism for carryingthe gummed patch cut from said strip to an envelop blank having anopening therein.

' FRANK L. MCNEILL. IVitnesses JOHN C. DEWEY, MINNA HAAs.

